Is a LinkedIn Job Seeker Premium account worth it?
On balance, I'd say YES. Let's look at what's being offered:The ability to send InMail messages (5 per/month for Job Seeker Basic, 10 per/month for Job Seeker Plus) is not worth the money if you understand the advantages provided by joining large (10,000+) LinkedIn Groups. 2 reasons to join LinkedIn Groups: (1) to connect with like-minded LinkedIn users and (2) communicate with fellow Group members for free. You can send 15 FREE messages to your fellow group members per month. That’s 15 messages across all groups and only if the member in question has allowed group messages (the default).'Who's Viewed Your Profile' (WVYP) - definitely a game-changer, since knowing who has come to your door is vital actionable information, especially if you are a Job Seeker. If you sign up for Job Seeker (or any other LinkedIn premium package) you'll get to see all of your Profile browsers for the last 90 days. Do bear in mind that even though you upgrade to see who's stopped by, that doesn't always give you data - some browsers will be partially hidden (semi-anonymous) i.e "Someone from Acme Co'" or invisible (anonymous) i.e "LinkedIn member". The default privacy setting when browsing others is set to full identity. So when you see partially hidden or invisible, that means that those folks changed the default and chose to hide partially or be invisible.'Featured Applicant'- Personally I don't have enough information to rate this option. As an ex-recruiter, I'd trust my own judgement rather than look for a quick fix. When I google, I look at the organic search results, the paid search results don't do much for me. Moving an applicant to the top of a list could therefore be counterproductive/risky.'Premium Badge' - This just signals that you've paid for using LinkedIn. A recruiter would not necessarily be swayed by this.'Salary Data' - This information is available elsewhere for free (i.e Glassdoor).'Job Seeker Group and Webinar' - A Group could be helpful but all depends on the quality/nature of support provided. Webinars for job seekers are plentiful and often free these days.Thanks for asking!Andy
How should I answer "Why did you choose to apply to this company?"?
I wouldn't make myself sound like a brown nose, but I would definitely present myself as if I had a genuine interest in the product they're selling. List your qualifications. Vaguely explain yourself and why you're qualified.
Working for a temp agency?
It does not hurt to apply with a temp agency, however that should not be the only place you apply. Business has virtually dried up at most temp agencies because employers are not hiring. You need to be an absolutely ideal job candidate with experience to get a temp assignment. You could possibly get a job at a warehouse, however your asthma and lower back pain might be a problem. Most employers are not willing to train employees and they don't have to, because there is such a large pool of unemployed or underemployed candidates to choose from. You may want to consider doing volunteer work to gain some experience.
Do employers hire people based on how they look?
Well I don't think so, unless it's one of those low-lives who only go for looks instead of real workers.. Just keep looking. If you're 15, then it's definately going to be hard, but just keep trying, you'll definately find a job sooner or later.